Strong encryption
The copy is encrypted with AES-256, the standard current PDF readers use, so its contents can't be read without the password.
Protect a PDF with a password
Choose a password and download a copy of your PDF that opens only with it, encrypted with AES-256. The password is added in your browser: neither the file nor the password is sent. Free, no account.
or drop it here
- Runs in your browser
- Free, no account needed
- Works on phones
How it works
How to password-protect a PDF
- 01
Choose your PDF. It opens in the editor, in your browser.
- 02
Choose Protect with a password, type the password twice, and allow or block printing.
- 03
Download the protected copy: it asks for the password whenever it is opened.
Why GenPDF
Protect PDF with GenPDF: what is different
Done on your device
The copy is encrypted in your browser. Neither the document nor its password reaches our server.
Printing, your choice
Decide whether people who open the file may print it.
Questions
Protect PDF: questions and answers
How do I add a password to a PDF?
Choose the PDF here, type the password twice (at least 6 characters), choose whether printing is allowed, and download the protected copy: it opens only with the password, encrypted with AES-256. Your original stays as it was.
Can I stop the PDF from being printed or copied?
You can stop printing: choose Block printing when you set the password, and the copy opens only with the password and cannot be printed. There is no separate setting for copying.
What if I forget the password?
Keep it safe: no one, not even GenPDF, can open the protected copy without it. Your original PDF stays as it was, without a password.
Will it open in every PDF reader?
Current PDF readers, on computers and phones, ask for the password and open the file. Some very old readers do not support AES-256.
How long should the password be?
At least 6 characters. A longer phrase is much harder to guess.
Is the password sent anywhere?
No. The copy is encrypted in your browser: neither the password nor the PDF is sent. As everywhere in the editor, a scanned page is sent as an image only if you agree to have its words read, and deleted as soon as they are read.